Traders held in G-B over tax protest

A standoff between traders and the government escalated on Monday as authorities detained several traders protesting against taxes at the Pakistan-China border, media reports from Gilgit-Baltistan said.

The traders, who are part of the Pak-China Trades Action Committee, had announced the closure of the Silk Route Dry Port and blocked the Karakoram Highway in Hunza and Nagar districts. The protest, which began on Monday morning, had stranded hundreds of travellers, including tourists, in the area.

The traders are demanding an end to the collection of income and sales tax at the Sost Silk Dry Port.